Number-transparency for vehicles.



PATENTED JAN. 15, 1907.

D. LYNCH. NUMBER TRANSPARENCY FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 3; 1906.

UN TED sr gr a s PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL LYNCH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FREDERICK H. HERHOLD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

NUMBER-TRANSPARENCY FOR VEHICLES- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 15,1907.

Application filed November 3,1965. Serial No. 285,788.

, To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL LYNon, a citizen of the United States, and a'resldent of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Number-Transparencies for Vehicles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to illuminated indicators for vehicles which clearly and distinctly show by means of a transparency the licensenumber'or other medium for identifying the owner of the automobile or carriage in case of accident or violation of local laws.

In many of the large cities the ordinances require the owners of automobiles and carriages to obtain a license tag or plate bearing the number by which the machine may be identified. These tags of course are invisible at night unless made transparent and disposed in front of a lamp, or else an exterior light is placed at one side of and cast upon the same. This latter medium, however,

. has been found to be quite unsatisfactory, as

the beam of light striking the swinging indi cator at an angle shows up the number in a blurred manner which is difficult to read. My invention, however, relates to the former method of indicating the license-number of a vehicle and is adapted to improve the efliciency of the same by providing alamp of novel construction.

I accomplish this by the means hereinafter fully described -and as more particularly set forth in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of an indicator embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical central section. taken on line 2 2, Fig. 1, showing the manner of constructing the transparent door of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view taken on line 3 3, Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the body or box portion of a lamp, one of the longitudinal sides of which is closed by a door B, that is hinged at one end to said body portion and is locked at its opposite end by a from this gas-chamber into the interior of the top of the lamp and terminates in a suitable two-Way gas-jet 0/ The hinged door preferably corresponds in rectangular dimensions to the side of the top of the lamp, which it closes, and consists of a rectangular skeleton framework D, of metal, which has its outer surface depressed or rabbeted next its inner edge to form a seat (Z for the edges of the transparency or glass. Fitted over the outside of this framework D is a skeleton retaining-frame E, that conforms to the shape of frame D and has its outeredges e flanged back sufficiently to fit over and inclose the outer edges of the said frame D, as shown in the drawings. preferably secured to the frame D by means of screws or bolts F, the heads of which are placed neXt the inside of the door and countersunk, and the outer screw-thre aded ends of which are provided with nuts, by tightening which the ret aining-frame is securely clamped to the frame D. When it is desired to re move the transparency or glass G, all that is necessary is to remove the nuts from the bolts F and take off the retaining-frame E, and when the transparency or glass is replaced, with its edges resting in the seat d of the frame D, to place the retaining-frame over the frame D and clamp the same in place in the manner stated. Brazed, soldered, or otherwise secured to the inside face of frame D of the hinged door is a suitable angular or converging reflector I, that extends into the lamp-body any desired distance. Back of the gas-jet is a vertically-disposed reflector J, that is preferably bent in such a manner that it throws the rays of light toward the glass front of the door in equalized rays. Through the floor of the box or lamp I prefer to stamp out a series of ventilator-holes K, and I provide the top of the said boX with a suitable chimney, somewhat similar to those employed on carriage-lamps;

In preparing the front glass for the door it has been found very expedient to use a red ground glass and then remove such portions of the red pigment as may be necessary to indicate the proper number of the licensetag.

and distinctly in white, and by placing the same in the back of the machine the red Thus it 'will be observed that when the gasjet is lighted the numbers will show plainly background will act as a warning-light to prevent vehicles approaching from the rear colliding therewith. At the same time the indicating-numbers being of a contrasting color with the background will be visible in day-time when the light is not lighted. The removability of the glass bearing the number permits the ready replacing of the same in case of breakage and also renders the device interchangeable from one machine to another by simply inserting a glass bearing the proper number of the license.

What I claim as new is 1. A number-indicator for vehicles comthe outside of said box for illuminating said transparency, substantially as-described.

2. A number-indicator for vehicles com prising a suitable rectangular metal box having one longitudinal side cut away; a door hinged at one side of and tightly closing said opening, said door comprising a metallic main frame D having the inner edges of its outer surface countersunk and having a frustum pyramidal reflector I secured to the inside of said main frame and projecting into said box, a substantially L-shaped retainingframe E removably secured to the front of said main frame and turned back over the edges of the same, and a number-transparency G secured in the seat formed by the countersunk portion of said main frame and the vertical portion of said retaining-frame; and means extending from the outside of said box for illuminating said transparency, sub stantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 24th day of October, 1905.

DANIEL LYNCH..

Witnesses:

FRANK D. THoMAsoN, E. K. LUNDY. 

